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Home/Curriculum resources/Understanding Smoking Ceremonies/Activity 3: Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country

Learning Areas:

Humanities and Social Sciences, English

Year levels:

Level 3, Level 4

Activity 3: Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country

This activity is a part of the Understanding Smoking Ceremonies resource.

Flames and smoke from bark vessel and leaves used in traditional Australian Aboriginal smoking ceremony, Australia. Photographer: PDerrett. Source: Getty Images. Used under licence.

Activity 3: Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country

Focus: Understand what Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country are.

Possible overarching question: What is Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country?

Step by step guide

  • Step 1: Connecting to students’ prior learning

  • Step 2: Shared text and discussion

  • Step 3: Explore examples of Welcome to Country

  • Step 4: Creating an Acknowledgement of Country

  • Step 5: Reflection

Required Resources:

Step 1: Connecting to students’ prior learning

Facilitate a discussion about what has been explored so far about smoking ceremonies. If it does not come up let students know that several texts referenced Welcome to Country. Let students know we will be exploring Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country. You may invite students to answer if they have heard or seen an Acknowledgment of Country or a Welcome to Country before and the parts they remember.

Step 2: Shared text and discussion

Let students know that you are going to read the story “Welcome to Country” written by Aunty Joy Murphy; illustrated by Lisa Kennedy. Facilitate a discussion about connections students have made from what they have already learnt so far.

Welcome to Country. Written by Aunty Joy Murphy; illustrated by Lisa Kennedy. Walker Books Australia. © Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy. Used with permission.

Undertake a second reading of the book, this time pausing at key moments to allow deeper exploration. The Teacher Support Material offers guidance.

You could also watch this clip from Aunty Joy Murphy undertaking a Welcome to Country.

You may wish to find out the welcome words or customs for visitors entering the lands of the Indigenous Country/Nation in which your school is located.

Step 3: Explore examples of Welcome to Country

Students can engage with the clips, website articles and the text provided. You could set this up around the classroom in various ways:

  • students can rotate through stations,

  • watch individually on a device at their own pace, or

  • view them together as a whole class.

While exploring the diverse examples of Welcome to Country, students can use the Connect, Extend, Challenge routine or another thinking routine they are familiar with. (Student support materials for this task are also provided).

Clips

Websites

Student information text

Step 4: Creating an Acknowledgement of Country

Work with students to create an Acknowledgement of Country unique to your context.

Students could explore (as a class or in groups) the following questions or connect back to the Discovering connection to Country learning Activity 3: Discovering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations.

  • What is the traditional name of the Country on which you live or attend school?

  • What are some features of the Country? (Landscape, Waterways, City/ regional/ remote)

  • What are some flora and fauna found on the Country?

  • What is the current season on Country? (use an Indigenous Knowledge Seasonal Calendar)

  • What is something special or meaningful about the place where you live or go to school?

Students could craft their own Acknowledgement of Country using the specific information researched. These acknowledgements could then be used at the start of each day during a morning meeting.

Step 5: Reflection

Revisit the overarching question: "What is Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country?". Facilitate a reflective discussion using the visible thinking routine 'I used to think... Now I think...' to help students articulate how their understanding has evolved.

Related activities within this resources:

Activity 1: Introduction to Smoking Ceremonies

This activity aims to introduce students to the concept of Indigenous smoking ceremonies and their significance in some Aboriginal cultures. Through engaging in discussions, shared readings, and a See, Think, Wonder routine, students will connect their prior learning about Country/Place with new understandings of the role and importance of smoking ceremonies. This activity encourages students to observe, reflect, and inquire, fostering a deeper appreciation of the multifaceted relationship between Indigenous Peoples and their land.

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Activity 2: Exploring Smoking Ceremonies

Building on Activity 1, where students explored the basics of smoking ceremonies, this activity aims to deepen their understanding of the different types, purposes, and features of Indigenous smoking ceremonies. Through discussions, shared readings, and exploration of various resources, students will connect prior knowledge about Country/Place with a deeper appreciation of the significance of smoking ceremonies in some Aboriginal cultures. This activity encourages observation, reflection, and inquiry, fostering a greater understanding of the cultural and spiritual importance of these ceremonies.

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